384 



THE NATI^^ TREES OF WEST VIRGINIA. 



Uses. — Of greatest value in West Virginia in preventing tlie 

 falling in of banks. "Wood of little commercial value. 

 (Variety falcata, Torr., v^^ith scythe-shaped leaves, was 

 collected at Morgantown, along the Monongahela, 

 and at Weston, along the AVest Fork.) 



CARPINUS CAROLINIANA, Walt. Hornbeam. Blue Beech. 

 *'Water Beech." 



Geographic Distribution. 



Borders of streams and swamps, generally in deep rich moist 

 soil; southern and western Quebec to the northern shores of 

 Georgian Bay, southward to Cape Malabar and the shores of 

 Tampa Bay, Florida, and westward to northern Minnesota, 

 eastern Nebraska and Kansas, the Indian Territory, and east- 

 ern Texas; reappearing on the mountains of southern Mexico 

 and Central America; common in the eastern and central states, 

 most abundant and of its largest size on the western slopes of 

 the southern Alleghany mountains and in southern Arkansas 

 and Texas. 



Distribution in West Virginia. — A small abundant tree, distrib- 

 uted along streams and in moist ground throughout the • 

 State. 



Wood. — Close-grained, heavy, light-colored. 

 Uses. — Of no commercial value. Sometimes used for levers, 

 wedges, and for other minor domestic purposes. 



OSTRYA VIRGINIANA, K. Koch. Hop Hornbeam. Iron- 

 wood. 



Geographic Distribution. 



Dry gravelly slopes and ridges often in the shade of oaks 

 and other large trees; Island of Cape Breton and the shores of 

 the Bay of Chaleur, through the valley of the St. Lawrence 

 river, and along the northern shores of Lake Huron to western 

 Ontario, northern Minnesota, the Black Hills of Dakota, east- 

 ern and northern Nebraska, eastern Kansas and southward to 

 northern Florida and eastern Texas; most abundant and of its 

 largest size in southern Arkansas and Texas. 



Distribution in West Virginia. — Small tree. Frequent in thinly 



scattered growth throughout the State. 

 Wood. — Very hard, close-grained, heavy, durable. 



